Conceptual Diagram

Cingulate Cortex Part of the Circle

The forebrain has most of its components aligned in a series of inverted c- shaped rings starting from the outer membranes that culminate in the falx (pink), then extending inward smaller inner rings with each intimately connected to the others. The thalamus (dull orange) appears diagrammatically as the centre of these rings as seen from the sagittal view The outer ring is the falx (pink) followed by the sagittal sinus (blue) cerebral cortex (light green), cingulate gyrus (bright green) superiorly which becomes the parahippocampal gyrus inferiorly. The red ring represents the distribution of the main portion of the anterior cerebral artery. Next is the yellow ring which is the supracollosal gyrus (indusium griseum) superiorly and the hippocampus inferiorly. This is followed by the corpus callosum (purple) which enables the white ring of white matter to connect between hemispheres. The next ring is the thin bright pink ring which represents the fornix superiorly and the fimbria inferiorly. The innermost ring (light blue) represents the lateral horns of the ventricular system. The basal ganglia run just lateral to the lateral ventricles. The navy blue arrow headed structure is the septum pellucidum.

Courtesy Ashley Davidoff copyright 2010 all rights reserved 93907d13g03.8s

The Cingulate Cortex (Gyrus) An Independant Lobe of the Forebrain

Part of the Limbic System

The sagital view of the brain reflects some of the inverted c-shaped rings including the cortex, cingulate gyrus, indusium griseum, corpus callosum, septum pellucidum/lateral ventricles, and the thalamus which is central.

The cingulate gyrus (cortex crosses the boundaries of the frontal parietal and occibital lobes and is in close aasociation with other “inner circle” structures including the thalamus and corpus callosum for example.

Image Courtesy of Philips Medical Systems Image Rendered by Davidoff 92170c01b01b01.8s

T2 Weighted Image in the Sagittal Plane

The Cingul;ate Gyrus and the Limbic System

The sagittal T2 weighted shows the limbic system which is a compound set of structures including the cingulate gyrus, (light green) cingulate cortex, hypothalamus (light blue) mamillary body (royal blue) fornix (darker green) hippocampus (darker green) amygdala (yellow) and thalamus (orange).

Courtesy Ashley Davidoff MD copyright 2008 71430.85c01s

Ultrasound of Cingiulate Cortex in a Neonate

The ultrasound of a 7 day old baby boy reveals a normal sagittal section through the brain showing the CSF filled lateral ventricle (light blue) with most the brain substance showing characteristic homogeneous solid organ texture. The echogenic interfaces of the sulci with the gyri enable the outline of characteristic forms of the gyri so that for example the cingulate gyrus (darker green) is easily recognized by its classical location above the corpus callosum (purple). The corpus callosum is hypoechoic and overlaid in purple. The thalamus is isoechoic (orange) recognized by its position and shape rather than any unique ultrasound characteristics. The forebrain including the frontal parietal and temporal lobes are overlaid in green

Courtesy Ashley Davidoff MD Copyright 2010 90986c02.8s

Cingulate Gyrus and Other Frontal Lobe Gyri Coronal Section

The coronal anatomical image is taken through the frontal lobe just at the extreme anterior portion of the frontal horns. The specimen shows the approximate position of the 3 major frontal gyri in the anterior location including the superior, middle and inferior gyrus. The cingulate gyrus is not really part of the forebrain but part of the limbic system. It holds a medial deep and very central position.

Courtesy Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology at Boston University School of Medicine Dr. Jennifer Luebke , and Dr. Douglas Rosene Overlays Ashley Davidoff MD 97340.C1.gc01L2.9